Carburetion system for internal-combustion engines



July 1o, 1928.

S. H. LA PLANT CARBURETION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed 'July 27, 1925 Patented Juiy 10, 1928.

narran STATES PAren'r eri-ice SIE/IRON H. LA PLANT, OF SALIDA, COLORALO, ASSIGNOR TO THE L. T. N. MAN'TFI-XC"-v TURNG c DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM, OF PLATTEVILLE, COLORADO, A COMMON-LAW' TRUST.

`CARBD'RETON SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed July 27, 1925. Serial No. 46,358.

My invention relates to Carburation systems for internal combustion engines and its main object is to provide a system of the above character in which a highly efficient and wholly combustible gaseous explosive mixture produced by the intermixture of a gasified fuel oil, air andexhaust gases obtained in the operation of an explosion engine.

Another object resides in providing a carburetion systemwhich dispenses with the mufiier ordinarily employed to deaden the sound of the escape of exhaust gases from the engine, another object is to provide a system which eliminates the use of a lvacuumtanl, force pump or other similar contrivance to feed the hydrocarbonaceous liquid required in the explosive mixture, from a supply tank under pressure, and still another object resides in the construction of a mixing device or carburetor proper, iii which a fuel of the above described mixture of gaseous components is produced without the use of floats, spring-valves and other coinplicated and easily deranged appliances of the type usually employed in apparatus for charging a gas with volatilized hydrocarbons in the operation of an internal combustion engine.

Other objects of the invention, mostly residing in details of construction and a novel arrangement of the elements and parts coinprised in the system, will fully appear in the course of the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 represents in outline, a partially. ysectional view of the arrangement of the mixing chamber, conduits, valves and other parts comprised in my improved carburetion system;

Figure 2, an enlarged sectional elevation of the carburetor or mixing chamber of the system;

Figure 3, a section taken on the line 3 3,

Figure 2;

Figure 4- a sectional view showing in detail one of the check valves employed in the system;

Figure 5 a sectional view of the choke valve used to temporarily enrich the mixture in starting the engine;

Figure 6 a fragmentary elevation illustrating a modified construction of the discharge end of the exhaust line of the engine; and

Figure 7 a fragmentary elevation of the engine, mixing chamber and contiguous conduits, showing a modification in the arrange-l ment thereof.

'Referring further to the drawings, the

numeral 5 designates the cylinder body of an internal combustion engine ofthe type used on ymotor-driven vehicles, provided as usual with an intake manifold 6 and an vexhaust manifold 7. The carburetor of the system best shown in Figures 2 and 8, consists of a simple T-shaped pipe fitting 8, which conpl'osive mixture is'produced. The hydrocarbonaceous fuel oil obtained from a sup-A ply tanlr 9, is admitted to the mixing chamber through a conduit 10 under control of an adjustable needle-valve 12.

The valve is seated in a housing 13 which openand no valve'is required to regulate thek admission of air to the mixing chamber under ordinary conditions.

The exhaust-gases used in the production of the explosive mixture are-admitted to the mixing chamber by a pipe 17 connected at` one end ink the, exhaust line of the engine and attached at its other end, to one of the branches of the T-piece byy means of a reduoer 18.

The connection between the portion 19 of the exhaustline leading from the manifold 7 and the conduit 17 is established by means of a reducerQO and the continuation of the line beyond the point at which the pipe 17 is connected therein consists of a `pipe S21 which is of smaller diameter than kthe main part esA stitutesV the chamber in which the gaseous exof the line, but which preferably is of greater diameter than the branch pipe 17 leading to the mixing chamber.

The proportionate sizes of the parts of the exhaust line may be varied in accordance with the quantity of burnt gases required in the mixture, it beingthe principal object of the reductions to 'divide the flow of gasesy exhausted from the engine, between the branch pipe connected withV the carburetor and the part of the line through which the gases escape into the atmosphere.

In vthe construction illustrated in the drawings lthe diameter ofthe continuation-pipe 21 is about one half that of the main con- Aduit 19 connected with the manifold 7, and

approximately twice that of the branch pipe 17 leading to the mixing chamber, and, owing to the fact that the fiow of gases through the branch pipe is constantly'stimulated by'thesuction of the engine, the above stated ratio ofidiameters will cause the gases to be divided approximately equally between the pipe 21 and the pipe 17.

A check valve 22 in the pipe 17prevents thev return flow of the gases under the puly so sating effect produced in the operation of the engine and a choke-valve 28 in the pipe 21 serves to increase the quantity of exhaust gases admitted to the mixing chamber for the purpose of enriching the mixture when the engine is first started. The choke-valve may be adjusted the driver of a vehicle by means of a rod 24.

It is preferred to connect the pipe 17 with the carburetor at a point immediately below that at which the fuel-oil enters the mixing chamber past the needle valve, and the re ducer 18 by which the pipe 17 vis connected to the respective branch of the T-piece 8,

is cup-shaped as shown in the drawings to retain the oil dripping from the superposed inlet after the operation of thev engine is discontinued. In order to retain "this liquid inthe cup-shaped container while'the enginerema'ins at rest the pipe 17 'connected at the" lower end'thereof is bent in'goose-neck form to1`provide a trapf25 as shown in Figures 1 and 7.

Thev connection between the carburetor" vides a secondary mixing chamber owing.

to the momentary retardation of the flow before it enters the smaller conduit by which the reducer is connected with the manifold. The'butterfiy valve which controls the flow of fuel-mixture tothe engine and the needle valve regulating the supply of fuel-oil to the carburetor may be simultaneousl adjusted at a predetermined ratio by-suita le motion transmitting means such as the gear wheels 29 and 3() shown in the drawings.

A conduit 81 connects the fuel-supply tank 9 with one of the cylinders of the en gine for the purpose of subjecting the liquid in the tank to pressure when the engine is in operation. l A check valve 32 in the conduit'preventsthe return flow of gases duringy the suction stroke of the piston in the cylinder with which the conduit is connected,` and the two conduits 10 and 81 connected with the tank areV provided with handvalves 83'and 34 to regulate the' iow of fluids to and from the same. In the operation ofthe system, the engine may-be start! ed at vany time by meansv of the fuel-oil stored in the' priming'cup 18, with the resultvthat the liquid inthe supply tank is immediately subjected topressure by the gases exhausted from the cylinder with which' the conduit 31 is connected, during the upv-'strokes of the respective piston.

The pressure thus produced and ,maintained in the tank, causes the liquid contents ofthe tank to be fed to the mixing chamber where it meets the exhaust gases supplie d through the pipe 17 and air drawn in by suction of the engine through the nozzle 15. The three components being thus brought in violent cont-act with each other within a restricted space, form a gaseous fuel which passes to the intake manifold of the engine through the conduit 2G, it being evident that owing to the agitative velocity and the high temperature of the exhaust gases the hydrocarbon liquid supplied tothe mixing chamber from the tank is completely volatilized before the mixture is delivered to the cylinders of the engine.

The volatilization and thorough intermiX ture of the three ingredients of the mixture are furthermore promoted by the secondary agitation that takes place in' the butterfly va'lv'echambe'r 27 by reason of the tempo` rary retardation of the stream of fuel drawn tothe intake. manifold, before entering the reduced conduit l2.6 by which vit leaves the valve-chamber. The supply of liquid fuel from the tank and the admission of gaseous fuel to vthe intake manifold are vreadily regulated byf adjustment of the valves 12 and 28, which if connectedforconjunctive movement as in the construction shown inthe drawings,l proportion'the discharge and supply to and from the carburetor at a prede termined ratio.

It will thus be observed that the operation of the engine is under constant control of the driver ofthe vehicle, the same asin carburetion systems used heretofore andv that owing to the provision of the 'priming cup 18 and the connection Si between the supply tank and a cylinder of the engine, the engine may be started andthe liquid contents of the tank fed constantly to the carburetor Without the vacuum tanks, pumps or other pressure-appliances at present employed for the same purpose. It will also be apparent that owing to the use of a considerable portion of the exhaust gases in producing the fuel for the operation ofthe engine and the consequent reduced discharge of exhaust gases into the atmosphere, the use of a muffler or other' sound-deadening device may be dispensed with.

In case. the quantity of exhaust gases drawn into the mixing chamber is not sutilcient to entirely eliminate the noise produced by the escape of gases at the end of the'exhaust line, a further reduction in the cross sectional area of the line may be made as illustrated in Figure 6 in which a pipe-fitting divides the course of the gases be? tween two outlets 8G of reduced diameter.

The merits of exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine in producing an explosive fuel for the operation of the engine are well known, and the advantages of the present system reside chiefly in that the components of the fuel of which the exhaust gases are a part, are thoroughly intel-mixed in a finely divided condition completely volatilized and preheated to a high ten'iperature before the fuel enters the intake of the en-vk In the modified construction of the invention illustrated in Figure 7, a second charge of exhaust gases is admitted to the mixing chamber by a pipe 37 provided With a check valve 38. The pipe is connected in the exhaust line at a point distant from that at which the line is tapped to supply the initial charge of exhaust gases to the mixing chamber, and by further reduction in the diameter of the line at the point at which the second division is made, the quantity of gases that ultimately escapes into the open is still further lessened to dispense With the use of a muffler.

The second charge of exhaust gases to the carburetor, aids in the volatilization of the liquid fuel oil and in maintaining the mixture at the desired temperature and further enriches the mixture.

The pipe 3l by Which the required pressure-fluid is conveyed to the supply tank, is preferably connected with one of the cylinders of the engine by means of the opening originally occupied by one of the priming cups 89 but it is to be understood that any other connection may be made to produce a pressure inthe tank,.by and during 'the operation of the engine. Other modifications in thev construction and the arrangement of the parts comprised in the improved car` buretion system as herein described, may be.

resorted to Without departing from the spirit land scope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Lettersl Patlent is:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank, a carburetor for supplying the fuel to -the internal combustion engine having a restricted .mixing space and provided with an air inlet and con'- nected separately With the fuel tank and with an exhaust port connection ofthe engine, the exhaust port connection being lo-v bustion engine, a source of hydrocarbonv liquid, a carburetor having arestricted mix mg space providedwith an air-inlet and i connected separately vwith the source and with the exhaust line of the engine at a point beyond the exhaust manifold and at different points in the exhaust line, and a connection betvveen the mixing space of the carburetor and the` intake of the engine.

8. ln combination With an internal combustion engine, aj source of hydrocarbon liquid, a carburetor having a restricted mixing space provided with an air-inlet and connected separately with the source and With the exhaust line of the engine at apoint beyond the exhaust manifold and at diiferent points in the exhaust line, the line being beyond each point of connection With the mixing spacev of the engine, reduced in diameter to divide the fioW of gases between the mixing space and the atmosphere at a determinate ratio, and a connection between the mixing space of the carburetor and the intake of the engine.

il. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank, a carburetor for supplying the fuel to the engine having a mixing space connected separately'with the fuel tank and With an exhaust port of the engine, a secondary mixing chamber located at one side of the carburetor and connected With an outletof the first mixing space and provided with an outlet of reduced Vwhich the exhaust ofases nass and a connection between the outlet of the secondary mixing chamber and the intake of the engine.

5. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a fuel tank, a carburetor having a mixingspace connected separately with the fuel tank and with an exhaust port of the engine, the connection with the fuel tank being at the top of the carburetor and with the exhaust port being at the bottom of the carburetor and having a priming cup l through which exhaust gases pass, a second ary mixing chamber located at one side of the carburetor and connected with an outlet of the mixing space and provided with an vwith the source of liquid and with a source of exhaust gases, a connection between an e outlet of one side rof thel carburetor and the intake of the engine, a valve controlling the admission vof hydrocarbons to the carburetor, an air'inlet at the opposite side of the Acarburetor, a valve controlling the discharge of fuel through the outlet of the carburetor, and means for the conjoint operation of the valves at a determinate ratio.

7. In combination with an internal com.

bustion engine, a fuel tank, a carburetor for supplying the engine with fuel connected with the fuel tank, a priming' cup in the connection located at the bottom of the carburetor and forming an extension of the sameand in a connection between the carburetor andthe exhaust of the engine, said priming cup being adapted to retain a quantity of liquid, and a connection beween the outlet of the carburetor and the intake of the engine.

8. In combination with an internal com# bustion engine, a fuel tank, a carburetor connected separately with the tank and with a combustion space vof the engine for the supply of exhaust gases, a priming' cup arranged at the bottoni of the carburetor vand forming` an extension of the same, said prim-- ing cup being in a connection between the exhaust of the engine and the carburetor and adapted to retain a quantity of liquid, and a connection between the outlet of the carburetor and the intake of the engine located at one side of the carbure-tor, the latterI being provided at the opposite side with an air intake opening.

9. In combination with an internal. Vcomengine and having` an extension at the bottom forming` a priming cup, said priming cup being arranged in a connection between the carburetor and the exhaust of the engine.

10. In combination with an internal combustion engine, a source of hydrocarbon liquid, a carburetor comprising a T-pipe, an opening 'of which is connected with'an intake of the engine, a nozzle connected in a second opening of the T-pipe for the ad mission of air, a priming cup connected at the third opening of the same, in connection with the exhaust of the engine, and a connection between the T-pipe and the source located above the priming cup.

In testimony whereof I have atliXed my signature.

SIMEON H. LA PLANT 

